2018 NFL Mock Draft: 3 Rounds

Round 2

The Jets need to put an offensive line around Josh Rosen. Connor Williams tore his MCL and PCL and is likely out for the year. Williams may have better foot speed than McGlinchey, but he doesn't maintain blocks well due to having short arms. These injuries will also raise durability concerns about Wililams. The Jets look past this though and take Connor Williams here to start the second round realizing his value if he declares for the 2018 NFL Draft.

Sam Darnold needs a weapon to throw to. The 6-5 223 lb Allen Lazard has had either 100 receiving yards or a receiving touchdown in all 3 games so far. Lazard faces Holton Hill my only first round cornerback this weekend.

The Bears get Trubisky another target here. Cameron Meredith and Kevin White are great on the outside. Both receivers have durability concerns now though since Meredith got injured in his RFA year, and White has yet to play a full season. Meredith and White are both done for the year and Chicago is a team desperate for a #1 and perhaps even a #2 target. The idea of Chicago doubling up at wide receiver in this draft isn't inconceivable.

The 6-5 230 lb Auden Tate is my top receiver available. Tate got by Minkah Fitzpatrick on tape in Florida State's game versus Alabama. He serves as a wide receiver who can be Mitchell Trubisky's feature guy when Trubisky gets the starting job. Throwing Trubisky in the fire will absolutely kill his development as a quarterback.

The Los Angeles Chargers a cornerback here. Jason Verrett their 2014 first round pick got placed on injured reserve for the second year in a row. Casey Heyward and Desmond King could be a good cornerback tandem, but another corner will be needed for depth purposes with Verrett's health becoming a liability. The 5-11 170 lb Ranthony Texada blanketed Courtland Sutton, but got torched by James Washington. The Chargers can mainly use Texada for depth and put him in the nickel if Verrett gets injured in 2018.

Cincinnati needs a 4-3 right end to replace Michael Johnson. At the same time, they probably will give both Jordan Willis and Carl Lawson the chance to cease that opportunity so after getting Mike McGlinchey in the first round, they can take a free safety who many would consider a first round talent if it wasn't for his three game suspension to begin the season.

The 5-11 185 lb Jordan Whitehead has the versatility to play cornerback, strong safety, or free safety. He has the size of a cornerback, but plays like a strong safety which is his natural position at Pittsburgh.

Whitehead had 74 solo tackles, 34 assisted tackles, 108 total tackles, 6 deflections from pass breakups, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown as a true freshman. Whitehead has incredible tape, but needs to add more muscle if he wants to be the top safety drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. His lack of size may limit him to a cornerback role, but Whitehead had only 65 tackles in 2016 compared to his 108 total tackles and did not look as sharp on tape. Cincinnati takes Whitehead at 36 here.

Miami needs a cornerback after getting a guard at 7. Jaire Alexander the 5-11 188 lb cornerback was my top ranked cornerback before his injury. Miami gets him to anchor their secondary with this pick in the second round.

The Browns get a cornerback here. Tarvarus McFadden is my top ranked cornerback at this point. He makes a lot of sense for Cleveland since they may end up needing multiple cornerbacks if Jason McCourty and Jamar Taylor get cut in the offseason. They still need to replace Joe Haden too so McFadden makes sense for Cleveland here.

Arizona got Baker Mayfield in the first round. They get Mayfield a weapon here to pair up with Larry Fitzgerald unless Fitzgerald retires or goes somewhere else as an unrestricted Free Agent in 2018 which is another reason why Arizona will get a receiver. Giving Fitzgerald someone like Courtland Sutton to mentor gives Baker Mayfield two big weapons in Fitzgerald and Sutton which will help elevate this Arizona offense.

The Lions are losing Tahir Whitehead to Free Agency. Jerome Baker is a 4-3 right outside linebacker who had 83 total tackles and 9.5 tackles for a loss in 2016. He ran a 4.37 40-time in the Spring and does well in coverage. Detroit moved Whitehead from middle linebacker to the weak side at right outside linebacker after drafting Jarrad Davis so now they get Whitehead's replacement in Jerome Baker here.

The Browns get a second wide receiver here. Pairing Equanimeous St. Brown with James Washington in the second round gives Kizer multiple weapons in the passing game to compliment David Njoku. Kenny Britt didn't do anything until this week and Corey Coleman has dealt with injuries in each of his first two seasons making him a liability. He re-unites with his former quarterback DeShone Kizer to give the Browns another weapon.

The Jets get a cornerback to anchor their defense at field corner. Adonis Alexander can play field or boundary cornerback and is off to a strong start. With Alexander blanketing #1 receivers more opportunities will open up for Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye as they enter their second seasons.

The Broncos seem contempt with their quarterback situation. Cameron Smith would fill a need at 3-4 middle linebacker if Todd Davis leaves.

Malik Jefferson finally put together a 10 tackle game for Texas against USC. Scouts still question his instincts and ability to wrap up players when making tackles. He can regain his first round status with a strong finish to the 2017 season.

San Francisco gets the 6-4 270 lb Duke Ejiofor who had 30 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, 50 total tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, and 10.5 sacks in 2016. Ejiofor dominated Roderick Johnson and Gerod Christian on tape, but struggled versus Mitch Hyatt which is why he fell to the second round. Ejiofor can play 4-3 right end or 4-3 left end with his versatility. Aaron Lynch and Elvis Dumervil both enter contract years for San Francisco and I see Solomon Thomas as a pure 4-3 left end.

The Giants get a 4-3 middle outside linebacker here. I don't trust B.J. Goodson or Keenan Robinson. Malik Jefferson is an upgrade over any middle linebacker the Giants have so they get Jefferson at 50 after landing Orlando Brown in the first round.

Cleveland will need multiple cornerbacks if they release Jason McCourty in 2018. Isaiah Oliver already has 7 deflections from pass breakups and 4 interceptions in 2017. The 6-1 195 lb cornerback entered this year as a dark horse. He's dominated so far and held Dante Pettis to 3 receptions for 54 receiving yards. Oliver plays UCLA next week and could move into round 1 territory if he flusters Josh Rosen.

Tampa Bay does not get to draft an offensive linemen or a cornerback here with no second round prospects at those positions on the board. This is the best running back on the board plus Johnson provides incredible value at this spot in the late second round.

Pittsburgh gets a weapon after taking a quarterback in the first round to groom behind Ben. Another tight end for depth to compliment Vance McDonald and Jesse James heads to Pittsburgh this week. Adam Breneman is my top tight end. I also considered moving Troy Fumagali ahead of Breneman with Adam being inactive for the Tennessee game, plus Wyatt Teller would be a good left guard option with Ramon Foster's injury at left guard for Pittsburgh, but I have a third round grade on Teller. If Fumagali has a big game versus Northwestern I'll make him my top ranked tight end. I'll give Pittsburgh Breneman here, and will probably get a ton of negative feedback for doing so.